Online Gambling in Florida - Casino & Sports Betting

Florida, also known as The Sunshine State, is known for many things, such as delicious oranges, Disney World, Cape Canaveral, and swampy marshes filled with alligators. It is also home to many retirees. Many retirees, as well as other Floridians, love to gamble.

There is no recorded case of a Florida citizen ever being prosecuted for online gambling. However, reading this article ensures that you know everything you need to know, whether you play the lottery, bet on casino games, or place high stakes on sports games.

If you’re a gambling enthusiast in Florida, read on to make sure you know what you can participate in legally, safely, and securely.

Florida’s gambling framework is complex and heavily focused on pari‑mutuel, tribal, and sports betting while maintaining strict prohibitions on online casinos and certain charitable activities. The Florida Legislature, Florida Gaming Control Commission, and the Seminole Tribe of Florida (via compacts) oversee operations, with all authority codified in the Florida Statutes.

Online Casinos

Online real‑money casino gaming is illegal in Florida. No statute permits digital slots, table games, or poker outside licensed pari-mutuel or tribal facilities. Online casino operations remain expressly prohibited under gambling device statutes.

• Status: Illegal
• Date of Authorization: N/A
• Law: N/A
• Official Link: N/A
  

Online Sports Betting

Mobile and online sports betting is illegal outside the Seminole Tribe’s exclusive arrangement. While the 2021 Tribal-Compact and related statutory approval (Chapter 285.710, F.S.) allowed sports betting via a “hub‑and‑spoke” model, this compact is under federal legal challenges. No statewide licenses are issued to commercial operators.

• Status: Legal — exclusively through Seminole Tribe per compact
• Date of Authorization: April 7, 2021 (compact ratified)
• Law: Florida Statutes § 285.710 (Tribal-State Game Compact authorization)
• Official Link: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299/0285/Sections/0285.710.html
  

Physical Casinos

Slot machine gaming is authorized at pari-mutuel racetracks under the “slot machine facility” statute, and commercial casinos operate under tribal-state compacts with the Seminole Tribe. Slot operators are licensed via Chapter 551; tribal casinos via Chapter 285 compact provisions.

• Status: Legal
• Date of Authorization:
  • Pari-mutuel VLTs: 2005 (Chapter 551 enactment)
  • Tribal casinos: 2010 (Florida‑Seminole Compact)
• Law:
  • Florida Statutes Chapter 551 (Pari-mutuel slot licenses)
  • Chapter 285.710 (Tribal casino compact)
• Official Links:
  • https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0551/0551.html
  • https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299/0285/Sections/0285.710.html
    

Horse Racing

Pari-mutuel betting on horse and dog racing is legal and overseen by the Florida Division of Pari‑mutuel Wagering. Betting occurs at licensed racetracks and via off-track venues, authorized under Chapter 550.

• Status: Legal
• Date of Authorization: 1931 (constitutional provision); modern codification under Chapter 550
• Law: Florida Statutes Chapter 550 (Pari‑mutuel Wagering)
• Official Link: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0550/0550.html
  

Lottery

The Florida Lottery is operated under the Florida Constitution (Art. X, §24) and state statute, offering draw and instant games. Online ticket sales are not permitted; retail outlets remain the only legal point of sale.

• Status: Legal (Retail only)
• Date of Authorization: 1986 (constitutional amendment), codified 1988
• Law: Florida Constitution Art. X § 24; Chapter 24 (State Lotteries, general law references)
• Official Link:
  • Constitution: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=Article+X&URL=Constitution/00-Constitution.html
  • Lottery statute references retail operation; digital platforms disallowed.
    

Charitable Gaming (Bingo, Raffles, Pull-Tabs)

Charitable gaming is legal under Chapter 849, which prohibits unlawful gambling while allowing limited fundraising events (small bingo games, raffles etc.) by nonprofits under specific conditions and licensing requirements.

• Status: Legal
• Date of Authorization: 1976 (bingo law), 2006 onwards
• Law: Florida Statutes Chapter 849 (Gambling; exceptions for charitable events)
• Official Link: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0849/0849.html
  

Overall Comment

Florida’s gambling landscape is tightly regulated and deeply intertwined with tribal gaming compacts and the pari-mutuel framework. While retail lottery and racetrack wagering are standard, casino gaming is limited to tribal/pari-mutuel slots, and online real-money casinos remain illegal. Mobile sports betting exists in a statutory silo, tied to Seminole exclusivity, pending resolution of federal legal disputes.

Online Casino in Florida

Florida online casinos are not legal. However, citizens of The Sunshine State are allowed to gamble or place bets at online casinos outside of Florida, for example, at offshore sites. We do not recommend this, though, as many sites are not vetted and gamblers can run into problems.

Sports Betting in Florida

Florida Penal Code prohibits betting or wagering on any game or contest that has to do with human speed, power, or skill. Although this doesn’t specifically say “sports betting,” most sources say that sports fall into this category.

Florida citizens, however, are able to place bets that are “housed” in other states or offshore sites. We do not recommend this, though, as it can often be unsafe.

Final Thoughts

Although all forms of gambling are not legal yet in Florida, there are plenty of ways to engage in this pastime within legal limits.

If gambling has become a problem in your life or in the life of someone you love, help is available. Reach out to Gambler’s Anonymous or another similar nonprofit and get the resources you deserve.